Surprise Findings From Toronto's Egypt Symposium

The Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities, and the Royal Ontario Museum, kicked off a three day symposium in Toronto.

I’m going to be filing more detailed blogs at the end, once I have the time to do a proper write-up of all the research.

For now here are some news-briefs that I want to fill you in on.

-The Seila Pyramid is flat! No – it is not a step pyramid. It is a true pyramid. Professor Kerry Muhlestein of Brigham Young University, presented the latest research.

A team of engineers, using GPS equipment, completed a 3D model of the pyramid recently. Combined with (unpublished) excavation results it is now clear that it is not a step-pyramid.

The pyramid was built by Sneferu, the father of Khufu. Sneferu also built two pyramids at Dashur (the Red and Bent Pyramids) and the Pyramid at Meidum.

-Humans and dogs in Old Kingdom Egypt had a closer relationship than you might think. Beverley Miles, a doctoral candidate at MacQuarrie University, presented evidence that Egyptians weaned dogs – personally.

During the weaning process, dogs move from eating liquids (provided by their mother) to eating solid foods. Miles found, from Old Kingdom Egyptian art pieces, evidence that Egyptians aided this process by grounding the food in their mouth and letting the weaning pup lick it out. The people who did this? Lowly workmen of course!

-Akhenaten doesn’t seem to have been such a pacifist after all. Despite popular belief that he shied away from warfare, Professor Prof. James Hoffmeier, of Trinity International University, found evidence that the heretic-king kept a well-equipped, and supplied, fortress in the Sinai desert. It was located on the east side of the modern day Suez Canal. 

How well supplied? Well for starters the fortress had a moat around it, of all things. Secondly, from the sealings found on the site, it seems that all the Amarna pharaohs sent wine out to keep the isolated soldiers provisioned - got to have something to pass away those desert nights!

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About The Author

Owen Jarus (follow me: e-mail or )

Last three pieces by this author:

19 New Objects from King Tutankhamun's Tomb Discovered in New York | 'Unique' astronomical object reveals Ancient Egyptians kept close tabs on the Big Dipper | King Tut suffered 'massive' chest injury, new research reveals

Owen Jarus is a freelance writer based in Toronto ,Canada. He has written articles on archaeology for a variety of media outlets including The Canadian Press newswire (CP), U of T Magazine, The Mississauga News and The Guelph Mercury. Education: BA from the University of Toronto in History, Geography and Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations.